Environmental Stewardship

John Dorner, Ph.D, Liaison for Environmental Stewardship, encourages and supports the education of the faith community regarding the moral imperative for all to serve as Stewards of Creation.   He assists parishes in the implementation of ecological initiatives, both at the church and in homes. He serves as liaison with Catholic schools and Catholic and interfaith organizations in the promotion of ecological responsibility, support for the poor, and a healthy planet for our children and future generations.
 
For more information please contact: Dr. John Dorner

This section of the Archdiocesan website includes eight components. Please click on the relevant words to access the page of interest.

Building a New Culture: Central Themes in Recent Church Teaching on the Environment

The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has just released a new pastoral letter, Building a New Culture:  Central Themes in Recent Church Teaching on the Environment.  The document offers an outline of eight central themes found in Church teaching on the environment and is designed to serve as a guide for discussion, reflection, and decision-making on the very real environmental problems we face today. Full information is available on the CCCB website.

Excerpts on each of the eight themes and the conclusion will be provided on the Archdiocese of Ottawa website over the coming weeks.  These brief texts are designed for publication in parish bulletins and can provide themes for homilies.
The suggestion for the first parish bulletin entry is as follows:
 
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP – MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has just released a new pastoral letter, Building a New Culture:  Central Themes in Recent Church Teaching on the Environment.  The first of eight themes is “human beings are creatures made in God’s image.”  Human beings are part of the natural world, yet simultaneously transcend it.  There are two key elements: (1) human beings are creatures, i.e., we are not God.  We are therefore not to act with god-like dominion over the rest of creation, but rather to recognize that creation comes to us as a gift from our Creator.  (2)  Unique among creatures, we are created in God’s image, and therefore bear an inestimable dignity.

ADVOCACY – ACTION – PRAYER

Christian people when giving thanks to God through the Eucharist, should be conscious that they do so in the name of all creation, aspiring to the sanctification of the world and working intensely to that end.
 
Pope Benedict XVI - Caritas in Veritate
 
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: STOP, THINK, AND THEN ACT

In both his Encyclical Caritas in Veritate and in his 2010 World Day of Peace Message Pope Benedict reflects on his statement that “every economic decision has a moral consequence”.   How does such a statement apply to our buying habits?    Do we stop to think about the consequences of each decision that we make regarding our purchases?   For example, when purchasing paper products as basic as bathroom tissue or photocopy paper, do we consider the source of the paper and the impact of our choice on the environment?  Purchasing paper products from recycled sources saves trees and contributes to the economy of the recycling industry.  Remember, before making a purchase, Stop – Think – and then Act

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